Quality of Life Among Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Abstract

Advances in cancer treatment have led to dramatic improvements in survival from childhood cancer. However, numerous long-term consequences of the disease and its treatment affect many survivors. Some of these delerious sequelae can be presvented, reversed, or remediated. This articles reviews the research literature related to late effects in pediatric cancer survivors and their families and to interventions to address their needs, with a primary emphasis on psychosocial outcomes. The author proposes that future research and clinical developments are dependent on one another and that approaches developed for survivors of childhood cancer can serve as models for all cancer survivors.